Stunning coastal walks around Southport

Want to explore the beautiful Sefton Coast? Here are 2 incredible walking trails near Southport Pleasureland.

Northwards, you can see the crags and mountains of the Lake District and even Blackpool Tower. Look South and you've got Anglesey and the peaks of Snowdonia. 

Between the dune ridges, in the dune valleys, you'll come upon some slacks. These seasonal ponds often flood with rainwater during the winter and provide a home for plants and animals unique to this habitat.

The slacks make ideal breeding pools for our endangered natterjack toads and great crested newts. And if you venture here in the early summer months, you may be fortunate enough to glimpse one of the UK's rarest reptiles: the Sand Lizard.

The females are hard to see, camouflaged in sandy brown with rows of dark blotches along their backs. However, eagle-eyed young explorers will be delighted when they spot a bright green male darting by. 

You will also discover why this walk has earned the name "Velvet Trail". These damp havens become a lush, winding carpet of flowers, including the strikingly beautiful early-marsh orchid. You'll know one when you see it: each spike is densely packed with lipped flowers in shades of deep pink to purple.

Also to be found are grass-of-Parnassus, round-leaved wintergreen and the red stems and white frilly flowers of the marsh helleborine. You might also spot the nationally rare dune helleborine: a beautiful yellow-green orchid that can grow to 50 centimetres tall.

More wildlife wonders

Sands Lake is about an hour's walk from the beginning of the Velvet Trail.

There's a new boardwalk around the lake that provides easy access, while a jetty provides a feeding area for the birds that congregate on the lake. Depending on the season, you can see mute swans, mallards, goldeneyes, tufted ducks, coots and many more species.

You'll also be a short walk from the Ainsdale Discovery Center car park – great for anyone needing easy access or to cut the walk short for little ones. The centre has some excellent displays and free literature on the unique history of our Sefton Coast.

From here, you can explore the Ainsdale Sand Dunes National Nature Reserve.

Have fun using the colour-topped posts to find your way through the eight-mile network of footpaths. Allow at least two hours for exploring – though if you end up on the fabulous Formby beach, you'll definitely need longer.

Keep a sharp lookout for the beautiful red squirrels in the pine forest. During spring and summer, you can also enjoy the fantastic variety of orchids and other wildflowers.

The reserve's Woodland Path and Fisherman's Path are fine for bikes, pushchairs and wheelchairs – and there's a fully accessible picnic area on the Woodland Path, making this a lovely walk for a family group. The Fisherman's Path is a wonderful woodland walk that exits onto that stunning stretch of beach. 

Don't forget to check online to see what family events, nature trails or open days are happening here throughout the year. 

Walk 2: Red Squirrel Walk

Distance: 0.4 miles 

Duration: 30 minutes

If you want to maximise your chances of seeing those elusive red squirrels, you need to drive a little further north along the Coast to Formby. From here, you can embark on the Red Squirrel Walk at the National Trust's Freshfield Reserve.

Start opposite the public convenience on Victoria Road, Formby.

You'll be embarking on a circular walk through the Formby pine forest on a wide, well-surfaced track. The trail is wonderful at any time of the year – but if you're visiting in summer, you should definitely make time to return in the winter months.